World Capital Group (WCG) is set to unveil groundbreaking research on Tuscany’s hospitality sector at the upcoming BTO 2024 – Be Travel Onlife event in Florence. The analysis reveals a remarkable transformation in the region’s hotel industry, particularly in the luxury segment, despite overall market contractions.

According to WCG’s Research Department’s findings, Tuscany commands a significant 8.23% of Italy’s hotel real estate portfolio, representing 7.65% of the country’s total room capacity. The region’s luxury segment maintains a robust presence, with upscale properties (4 and 5-star hotels) accounting for over 25% of establishments, slightly above the national average of 24%.

Florence Leads Luxury Market Transformation

The capital city emerges as the powerhouse of Tuscany’s luxury hospitality sector, controlling 39% of upscale properties and an impressive 66% of premium rooms. These figures align with metrics observed in Italy’s other major metropolitan markets, as documented by WCG’s research team.

The past five years have witnessed contrasting trends across market segments. While Italy’s overall hotel inventory decreased by 3% (with room numbers remaining stable), Tuscany experienced more pronounced declines: a 6.44% reduction in properties and a 15.39% drop in room inventory.

However, the luxury segment tells a different story. Tuscany’s upscale sector recorded remarkable 24% growth in both properties and rooms. Florence particularly exemplified this trend with a 25% increase across both metrics in the luxury segment, while mid-scale and economy segments contracted due to widespread property upgrades.

Florence’s Hotel Real Estate: A €4.2 Billion Market

WCG’s Research Department values Florence’s hotel real estate portfolio at over €4.2 billion, with the luxury segment accounting for €3.6 billion (85%) of the total. The ownership landscape reveals interesting patterns:

• Hotel operators control 46% of properties
• Local investors own 40%
• Financed assets represent 6%
• Public entities hold 5%
• Institutional investors maintain 3% of properties but control 7% of total rooms

“Tuscany’s hospitality real estate market represents a unique fusion of tradition and innovation,” says Gabriele Fiumara, WCG’s Real Estate Consultant for Hospitality. “The region’s extraordinary cultural and natural heritage continues to attract both domestic and international investors, driven by growing demand for high-end accommodations.”

Fiumara will present these findings at BTO 2024, scheduled for November 27-28 at Florence’s Stazione Leopolda. He will join industry leaders including Barbara Casillo, General Manager of the Italian Hotel Industry Association (Confindustria Alberghi), and Francesco Bechi, President of Federalberghi Florence, in a panel discussion focused on tourism development and investment attraction in Tuscany.